Utility’s plan for cutting power

Looking to the start of fire season, San Diego Gas & Electric says it’s working to prevent fires by monitoring wind speeds around the backcountry and preparing to shut off power if it’s too windy.

For SDG&E, that means that when wind speeds top 56 mph and fire risks are high, it reacts by cutting power.

To know precisely how hard the wind is blowing, it’s installing a network of remote weather stations. By Sept. 1, 125 of them will be in place, making San Diego County’s one of the most closely monitored climates in the world.

Also, SDG&E has upgraded some lines to withstand stronger gusts.

And the utility has increased the use of smart switches called Intelliruptors, which give it the ability to remotely test circuits when there’s a short to make sure it’s safe before power comes back on.

But, in the end, it says that sometimes the only way to prevent problems is by cutting electricity.

“There’s a de facto plan,” said Gary Arant, general manager of the Valley Center Municipal Water District. He was among those who complained about the impact of power loss.

“The areas that could be subject to turnoff are more limited than they were before,” he said.

In the past few years, water agencies and telephone and cable providers have prepared for outage possibilities by beefing up backup power options. Even then, there are issues to be resolved, such as whether county air pollution regulators will fine the use of such diesel generators.

Onell Soto • U-T

Warmer summer is predicted

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center says that it is likely the summer months will be warmer than average in Southern California this year. But the center does not estimate how much temperatures could vary from average, which points to the difficulty meteorologists have in projecting seasonal weather.

Historical records may be a better guide. The National Weather Service notes that the average high temperature at San Diego’s Lindbergh Field in June is 72.8 degrees. The average high is 75.8 degrees in July, and 77.8 degrees in August.

Southern California is famous for “June gloom,” the marine layer that typically forms late at night and lasts until the early morning hours. The marine layer was unusually persistent last summer, resulting in cooler, cloudier days.

The county has received above average precipitation, which should reduce the danger of wildfires through part of the summer. However, if the weather becomes unusually hot, it will cause a lot of fresh vegetation to die off quickly, potentially providing fuel for wildfires.

Gary Robbins • U-T

Firefighting staffing reduced

Staffing for the two main fire agencies that handle wildfires in the county remains about the same as in recent years. However, Cal Fire will be down 52 firefighters once the agency goes to peak staffing sometime next month due to state budget constraints.

Cal Fire protects most of the backcountry and now has 521 employees on duty daily, while the U.S. Forest Service, responsible for the Cleveland National Forest and other federally owned lands, has 366 personnel on duty.

The numbers include not just firefighters, but hand crews, bulldozer operators, plane and helicopter crews, communications and other employees.

Cal Fire’s staffing will increase when the decision is made, probably next month, to man every station. But unlike last year, each engine will be down one firefighter, from four to three, as the state makes cuts to close the massive deficit.

If a major fire were to break out, firefighting agencies from throughout the county, state and even the nation could respond.